Sri Vijaya Puram, March 9: The Department of Tourism, A&N Administration, in association with the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM), Bhubaneswar, is organising a 12-day Tour Guide Training Programme for local youths from March 9 to 20 in the Training Hall of the Disaster Management Department, Sri Vijaya Puram.
The programme aims to build the capacity of tourism stakeholders and unemployed youths by equipping them with professional tour guiding skills, destination knowledge, communication abilities, and responsible tourism practices. The initiative is part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to create skilled local manpower for the growing tourism sector in the islands.
During the inaugural session, Smti Anita Yadav, Joint Director (Tourism) highlighted that the islands possess diverse tourism products including natural, historical, adventure and eco-tourism attractions, which draw visitors from across the world. Emphasising the importance of well-trained guides, she encouraged the participants to learn diligently so that they can present authentic and accurate information to tourists. She further motivated the trainees to adopt tour guiding as a sustainable livelihood opportunity while contributing to the promotion of the destination.
The training programme will cover various aspects of tourism including destination interpretation, guiding techniques, communication skills, visitor management, heritage awareness and responsible tourism practices. On successful completion of the programme, participants will be better equipped to serve as knowledgeable guides and ambassadors of the islands’ tourism sector.